The following discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. The discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.
Endless belt conveyors are used in various applications, including transportation of bulk materials, such as ore, from one location to another.
Typically, an endless belt conveyor comprises an endless belt movable around end rollers and supported by intervening idler rollers. Each idler roller typically comprises a roller shell mounted on an axle by bearings accommodated in bearing housings incorporated in walls at the ends of the roller shell.
Idler roller failure may result in wear or damage to the conveyor belt, along with significant loss of production.
Bearing failure is a common cause of idler roller failure.
With a view to avoiding damage to the conveyor belt, it is desirable to conduct regular inspections of idler rollers to detect any deleterious change in their operating condition so that they can be repaired or replaced as necessary. However, such inspections can be difficult, particularly for conveyors which are extensive in length and which operate in noisy environments.
One common inspection regime involves having an operator travel alongside a conveyor and listen for sounds emanating from roller idlers having bearings that have either failed or are generating noise indicative of a deleterious change in condition.
This regime has not proved to be altogether satisfactory for various reasons, one being that it can be difficult to reliably identify which particular rollers might be generating the indicative noise. Further, such an inspection regime can be particularly time-consuming and often involve significant safety implications.
It is against this background that the present invention has been developed.